Chaffee downs Neelyville for crown

BENTON — Neelyville head softball coach Dan Sexton has said at times this year was his reintroduction to coaching and after the dust settled on Monday and the Lady Tigers finished runner-up to the Chaffee Red Devils for the Class 2, District 1 Softball Championship, he was immediately thinking ahead of how they could improve ahead of the spring season.

But, Sexton and any sports fan know the pain of losing a championship doesn’t go away quickly.

“You’re going to have days like this,” he said to his team after. “You’re going to have days like this 10 years from now and you’re going to have to get up and go to work. That’s what it teaches you. It’s fun right now but it’s about learning those principles in life. Getting up and don’t take it for granted.”

It was unfortunately one of those days for Neelyville as the Lady Tigers only managed three hits and struggled to find their timing on the Red Devils freshman pitcher throughout the game with Chaffee advancing 6-0 to take on the Class 2, District 2 champion on Saturday.

The Lady Devils broke through in the bottom of the second and added in the bottom of the third when freshman Jocelyn Hanloh scored to runners to make it 3-0 in the frame.

Chaffee added runs in the fourth and another insurance run in the sixth.

“I’m very proud of them,” he said. “They never quit today. I was very proud of that because we were capable of having a nine-run inning. I just kept telling them that. It didn’t happen but it is what it is.”

Neelyville couldn’t figure out Chaffee freshman Carlyanne Cossou as she finished with sevens strikeouts in the game.

Jade Crosswhite, Reese Dobbins and Hannah Hover each finished with hits for the Tigers in the loss.

Sexton said it’s been special to coach the girls this season even though there were a few bumps along the road.

“I’m thankful that they accepted me because most of them know more than I do,” he said. “It’s been blessing. They work hard. We had every excuse in the beginning to quit and we had to get over that hump a little bit.”

Looking ahead to the spring season, Sexton said the team has to work on each area of the game but one they key area is pitching.

September Preslar started for the Tigers on Monday and was the No. 1 for Sexton throughout the season but he said they sometimes struggled in tournaments where they had multiple games in a day.

“We got some young ones coming and we’ve just got to go to work,” he said. “Spring is going to be a lot of working. We’re going to do a lot of drills to try to get better.”

Neelyville finishes the fall at 17-14.